Fake E-Challan SMS Targets Islamabad Motorists Through Suspicious Payment Link
An SMS seen by Islamabad Tribune claims to be an “ICTP E-Challan Alert” and directs recipients to a non-government .cc website; motorists should independently verify traffic fines through Islamabad Police’s official e-challan service rather than following suspicious payment links.
ISLAMABAD: Motorists in the federal capital are being urged to exercise caution after an apparently fraudulent SMS claiming to be an Islamabad Traffic Police e-challan notification was received by a citizen, raising fresh concerns about phishing attempts targeting vehicle owners.
Suspicious E-Challan Message
A screenshot seen by Islamabad Tribune shows the message appearing under the short code 8070 and carrying the heading “ICTP E-Challan Alert.” It claims that the recipient’s vehicle has been recorded for a traffic violation through an “Automated Traffic Enforcement System (TRACS)” and urges payment to avoid late fees.
The strongest warning sign is the web address contained in the message. Instead of directing the recipient to an official government domain, the SMS links to “miaechallanye.cc/pk” — a .cc domain that does not match the official Islamabad Capital Territory Police website.
Islamabad Police’s official website provides its own E-Challan Verification service and describes it as a facility through which motorists can check and pay traffic e-challans using a secure digital payment system. The official Islamabad Police domain is islamabadpolice.gov.pk.
Sender ID Also Raises Concern
The screenshot is particularly concerning because the message appears to originate from 8070, demonstrating why motorists should not rely solely on the displayed sender ID when determining whether a message is genuine. Similar complaints have surfaced online in recent weeks from people reporting e-challan messages apparently received from 8070 but containing questionable links. These user reports are anecdotal and do not by themselves establish how the sender identity was generated.
The broader threat, however, is well documented. Punjab Safe Cities Authority previously investigated fraudulent e-challan messages linked to cloned websites. Officials said scammers were directing citizens to illegitimate websites in an attempt to obtain money or information, and advised people not to open suspicious links.
Motorists Advised to Verify Through Official Channels
The Islamabad case should therefore be treated as a suspected phishing attempt unless independently verified by the relevant authorities. The screenshot establishes what was received by the citizen, but Islamabad Tribune has not independently established who sent the message or who operates the website appearing in it.
Motorists receiving similar messages should avoid clicking the embedded link, entering CNIC, vehicle, banking or card information, or providing an OTP. Instead, they should independently open the official Islamabad Police website and use its E-Challan Verification facility. Islamabad Traffic Police also lists 1915 as its public traffic complaint helpline.
